O’Shea’s focus on Swiss clash amid talks of permanent job

JOHN O’Shea is thinking no further ahead than tonight’s friendly against Switzerland amid speculation he could become permanent Republic of Ireland manager after all.

The Football Association of Ireland’s director of football Marc Canham revealed last month as O’Shea was placed in interim charge that Stephen Kenny’s successor would be named in early April, and that an announcement had been delayed by “existing contractual obligations”. That appeared to rule O’Shea out of the running something leading candidate Lee Carsley has himself done since although the way he has conducted himself during his temporary spell at the helm and the response of his players in Saturday’s 0-0 friendly draw with Belgium have prompted suggestions that he could do the job on a longer-term basis.

However, asked about the speculation ahead of the clash with the Swiss, the 42-year-old former Manchester United, Sunderland and Ireland defender told a press conference: “My remit was to focus on these two games.

“If my remit beforehand was ‘John, you’re the full-time new manager’, it might have been a different situation.

“The focus for me was ‘these two games, John, look after these games and see what happens then’.

“I am focusing on the last game against Switzerland.”

In the meantime, O’Shea will concentrate of the task of putting together a team to compete with Switzerland, ranked 19th by FIFA to Ireland’s 62nd.

That could mean a start for Southampton keeper Gavin Bazunu after Liverpool’s Caoimhin Kelleher got the nod on Saturday evening.

Lyon defender Jake O’Brien and Middlesbrough midfielder Finn Azaz, as well as Under-21s graduates Joe Hodge and Andy Moran, will all hope for debuts at the match.